Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-06-06
The school Book Fiends ON Hand.

the histories are worse, and the arithmeticS are
the worst Of the lot although 1t is conceded that
| these books have ali made excellent scholars in
the past history OF the schools. the prey is
scented from afar, and the geography iend, the
reader fiend the history fiend and the arithmetic
nend come providing about.
The situation is anomalous. The school trus-
sory" Commissioner Webb tbroneb his srnsr,n
| tendent, runs the Schools or thinks he does. A
word from him. fifty spoken can make or un-
make changes of text books, and hence he, guided
BY his superintendent. is the main factor In the
! problem.
Recently the Biographies were changed very
suddenly, without the usual notice, statement OF
| reasons and discussion, and in the midst Of the
school year, a very unusual time for a change. to
| say the least 1t was said to be an even exchange
and, in general terms, that the new books We're an
Improvement ON the old. 1t was an even ex-
have children In school using the book at the
time, but 1t is probable there were several thous-
| and copies not in such hands, which would have
come into use had no change been made This
| involves loss OF several thousand dollars by the
| citizens.
Are the new books clearly and decidedly better
| than the old? Intelligent teachers and pupils,
| who have now used them for some weeks, say
! otherwise. Examine them and compare them with
the books displaced and decide for yourself. The
| new ones appear to be constructed largely on the
old catechsln plan The pupil is expected to cram
| his memory with lines, dots and words by the
| thousand, TO be held in readiness for response to
corresponding questions. The descriptive part is
about as interesting TO child the desert OF Sa-
! hara would be to a landscape painter The now
| generally accepted methods OF molding, map
drawing ana objective teaching appears to have
been dropped out, or placed In the dim back
| ground
But tits claimed that the new books are greatly
superior to the displaced ones in feature that is
called special geography" that is the geography
OF the pupils own State, the part OF the country
I'm which he resides and Is most deeply Interested
| Varied editions are prepared by the thoughtful
publishers to meet this want.
We have no state, and our local interest and
pride Is limited TO the District of Columbia and the
city OF Washington. We, therefore, turn with
eagerneSS in the new books to lind the geography
which Is special to ourselves that is OF the District
In the-first book of the series we find only the
IollOWlng In the teXt ''The capital OF the United
States is Washington, which is in the District Of
Columbia Here COng ress and the supreme Court
meet and the President has his residence, called
lhe White House." On the opposite page is
picture, fortunately labeled washington CITY"
with the Washington Monument in the foreground
ana In the unfinished condition so familiar u
ably copied from antique photograph, and
would make excellent Illustration for treatise
on ancient geography.
In the second book OF the series we find about a
page OF commonplace text, and the only items
that attract special attention are the statements
that the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal crosses the
Potomac at Georgetown and the District consisted
OF III square miles OF territory coded by Maryland
and 30 square miles by Virginia; the Virginia DOR
tion was retroceded and now the District contains
30 square miles. The latter statement suggests
good problem for an arithmetic.
The full-page map of the District of Columbia, to
De found on page 80 OF the especial Geography is
Indeed unique. 1t IS true that it is much more
u
real estate brokers OF this city, which distribu-
TED freely as advertisements, but at the time
IL contains information for the school children not
to be found elsewhere. Borrow copy of the book
from one of the pupils and look for yOurseI You
will see the venerable columbian College. still
occupying the Old dilapidatel building on the
heights the head of I4th street: the old s'Ctty
Hall standing on the site OF the United States
Court-House, with the old 'Hospital' in its rear,
and the Old jail on the northeast corner OF the
square. The new Pension Office is missing proba-
bly, lingering In the brain OF its architect, and to
on the map is the "Park HOTEL lager beer saloon
near the head of 9TH street.
BY the way, We wonder that the Commissioners
did not take possession OF the "C1ty Hail. when
they discovered 1t On their new school maps.
NOUS NERRONS.
NEW PASSENGER TRAINS ON B. AND O-Two new
trains each way have been added to the service on
the Metropolitan Branch. Under the old schedule
lne Tram which lett Washington at $3.50 In the
afternoon made all the local stops between here
and Washington Junction. Under the present ar
rangement5 this train stops only at Takoma, For
est Glen Rockville, and Washington Grove be-
tween here and Gaithersburg, and new train for
Gaithersbury leaves washington at 5:35 D. M.
making all the intermediate stops. Two new Sun,
day trains have been added TO the schedule one
leaving BoydS at . a. H., arriving at Washington
at 1890 a. m and one leaving Washington at
1:1o p. H., arriving at Washington Junction at
$40 p. N. Both these trains stop at all stations
The "Owl Train,r leaving Washington at IL 20
p M, also runs on sunday. The fourth new train
leaves Gaithersburg at 1890 p. IN. every day in
the week and arrives at Washington at Ii 30 o. m
stopping at all stations City folks now have am
pie facilities for spending the afternoon or even
Ing with their country cousins both ON week DAYS
and sundays land getting back to town at season.
able hour. Copies OF the new Time Table can be
procured from the b. & o. Ticket Agents in Wash
| ington or along the line.
A PARTY OF ITALIAN TOURIsTs-Saturday after
noon party OF Italian tourists composed chiefly
OF men OF means from various commercial cities OF
Fb Tner IA ande ls CITY, ana y to1k rooms at the
and intend 10 take an extensive trip in the United
states, going as far west as Chicago. Yesterday
was spent la driving about the city. To-day the
members OF the party are engaged visiting public
buildings and points OF interest about the city to-
morrow they will go TO Mount Vernon, and leave
In the evening for Louisville, NY. The party COM
priseS the following: Prof. Emilio ROssetti c. E.
FOrli, Slgnor Antonio Camozzi DR.. Eugenio Norsa,
Slgn0r Emilio CaStelfTancO. c. E. MOdena, Signor
Giuseppe Terinelli DIR. Giuseppe Taglierini Signor
Francesca Zambeletti, Signor Giuseppe Sormapi
Dr. Natalie Condorelli, Signor Giuseppe Pozzi, Sig
nor ArlStlde Olivari, Monsieur Walter Schmtd
Monsieur Robert FierZ Sir Carlo Costa SignOr
Riccardo Grassettl. SignOr Giovanni LtOnetti, Don
GiacOmo de Cristoforis, Signor Giuseppe Iauzi.
Mobile GlaS0ne Bagliacca, Count CeSare Gargan-
TIM, Chev. c. Bisatti.
A FATAL BLOW ON THE HEAD.-L A. Leadman a
workman employed on the pile-driver at the foot
OF lith street southwest, was struck on the head
with piece OF timber Saturday morning while at
work. and was fatally injured. He was removed
10 Providence Hospital, where he died Yesterday
morning. The deceased was native OF Prince
William County, Va. The coroner viewed the body
yesterday, ana will hold inquest at the fourth
precinct station tonight at 80 O'Clock.
FINED FOR ASSAULTISG MR. WM E. SPAULDING-
JAS. White. the SalOOn-keeper on PENNSYLVANIA
avenue, between ETH and 18th streets who is
better known ''Reddy- White was before the
PUuce court TINS morning charged with aSSdIlltinv
VT. WIN. f. Spauldlng, the dealer in paints &C.
whose place OF business Is next door To Whites IL
appears That Mr. Spauldlng, who is SiXty-three
years old, objects to = number OF Whites patrons
lOaf1ng about on the pavement, and claims that
IL lnttrfereS with his business. saturday after
noon Mr.. Spauliing spoke TO some persons who
We're standing on the pavement, and White after
ward spoke 10 him about IL. They had some words
ana White, who is only about thirty-fiye or forty
years OF age, struck Mr.. Spaulding In the mouth
their ages, the court imposed line OF $50. Appeal
noted.
A FIFTEEN DAYS TRUCE IN THE LEDRoIT PARK
Wharf.-The trouble at LeDrOiL Park over the fence
Is Ut an end for at least fifteen days The con-
TO let The matter rest for further consideration for
that Time The fence will be again erected to-day
To remain during that period.
THE SHASkS DIVORCE CASE.-In the case OF
GuS,ie ShankS against Morris ShankS-btIl for
Ing the charges or cruelty, threats non-suppOrt
&c lie further charges her with deSertiOn and
with being the mother OF a child Of whom he IS
not the father.
DISTRICT MEN AT PRINCETON.-Princeton College
The following are the District OF Columbia hOnors
Paul Matthews, ValedictOry; w. A. Darlington
Grafton, international law; +. II. White Grafton
political science.
The CoSTISESTALs' FAIR.-To-night begins the
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